Microsoft swaying the public

Microsoft's ad campaigns seem to be helping it win public support, according to recent polls. A Harris Poll conducted last weekend showed that out of almost 4,000 PC users, less than 40% thought Microsoft had been unfair to competitors, while 37% didn't think MS is a monopoly.

Part of the poll asked the respondents to agree or disagree with the following:

“Microsoft should remain one company”: < 20% disagreed

“Microsoft should be broken up into two companies”: 70% disagreed

20% of respondents had no feelings about the two statements.

Analysts feel that much of this support comes more from a distrust of the government than from support of Microsoft.

For more information and results of earlier polls, please see this article at Wired.

SAM'S OPINION
I hate polls and have said that before. Thus, I don't really place too much importance on the one I've cited above. However, I did feel that the percentages showing “support” for not splitting Microsoft up were worthy of comment, especially for us geeks.

Most of us know much more about computers, their history, and alternate OSes than the vast majority of computer users, so we understand that Microsoft DID beat on its competitors and HAS done lots of gross things and DOES produce a buggy and often bothersome OS. But most computer users don't know much more about Microsoft than the fact that the Redmond folks produce an operating system that makes it easy for them to point and click on what they want and have things like movies and sound files operate fairly smoothly. Most of these folks may have heard of Linux and Apple and UNIX, but have never used them so don't know what they're missing. So basically, they just don't have any perspective with which to be mad at Microsoft. And like most people who don't spend 85% of their time on the 'Net, the television and its commercials do shape a lot of their opinions. So I guess it really shouldn't be a surprise that the poll showed so many people against breaking Microsoft up.

Of course, there are plenty of us geeks who also argue about such things. Whether we disagree over breaking MS up or even over whether the company was monopolistic in the first place, there are 8 sides to every position. I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole situation, but I freely admit that I don't like it when the government puts its big nose in such matters, and it might be my distrust of the government that makes me wonder if breaking MS up is the right thing to do.

I'll be very interested in seeing what Microsoft will counter-propose next week, though. That should help give me enough info to decide what I think should be done. Take a look at the Microsoft topics in our Rants & Raves Message Parlor to see what others are thinking and to share your own thoughts.